This invention relates generally to injection molding and more particularly to apparatus for side gating from a heated nozzle through side gate seals to surrounding cavities, each extending partially in a radially mounted gate insert.
Edge gating from a central nozzle seated in an opening in a mold through several hollow seals to surrounding spaced cavities is well known. However, previously the seals were first mounted on the nozzle and the nozzle was then inserted into place in the opening in the mold. Thus, as seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,344,750 to Gellert which issued Aug. 17, 1982 and 4,981,431 to Schmidt which issued Jan. 1, 1991, these previous arrangements have the disadvantage that the outer ends of the seals cannot extend outwardly past the inner surface of the opening in the mold. Consequently, the cavities must be located very close to the nozzle. While this is suitable for some cavities, it is not satisfactory for applications where space for cooling conduits are required between the heated nozzle and the surrounding cavities.